Love, Death and Flowers
by WeepingAngelXIII
Summary: As Aerith makes her way back to the Lifestream she comes across someone she thought she'd lost forever...  ZackXAerith. Also contains a mention of CloudXTifa


It was over reasonably quickly for Aerith. She hadn't even known of Sephiroth's presence or anything around her for that matter. She had been completely absorbed in her summoning. However, death wasn't so bad. It was more of a shock to her than painful. She had felt the sword of course, but was more surprised and had just stared at his sword, stained with her own blood, still embedded in her abdomen. Then, as her surprise began to slowly leach away, it gradually faded into a sense of weakness and tiredness mingled, and, feeling her life-energy drain away, fell forwards onto the sword, and her hands dropped to her sides. As she fell Aerith briefly caught the sight of Cloud's horrified face, his eyes dancing from her to the man who was killing her. Nobody moved or spoke for what seemed like an eternity. It even began to seem to Aerith herself that it was the time that had done the most damage now. Not even the others had moved. After what seemed like an age Sephiroth finally withdrew his sword, pulling it out of Aerith in one long and painful motion. That was the only point where Aerith had really felt any pain. The point where Sephiroth had actually stabbed her, her own surprise seemed to have killed off any pain it had caused. The sound of Sephiroth pulling his sword back through the wound it had already inflicted was magnified in the absence of any other sound or even movement. The world seemed to have stopped. Suddenly Aerith felt unbalanced and fell forward into Cloud's arms. Everything started back up then, but Aerith couldn't really tell. She was slipping away. She could hear Sephiroth laughing now, but it seemed distant. She felt very weak now, and strangely tired. She could just feel herself drifting away: drifting into the light.

"Aerith."

Aerith stirred, as she heard her name spoken, but she still remained with her eyes closed. Funny: she couldn't remember even closing them. Aerith felt calm and relaxed. It felt like she was floating in a pool of warm water. She felt light. Aerith raised her hand slowly, and touched the point on her stomach where Sephiroth's sword had pierced her. There was no wound. Not even a rip in her dress. It didn't hurt either. Had it been a dream?

"Aerith."

Aerith heard the voice again. It had called her name, just as it had before, but the first time she had heard it she was unsure whether or not she had imagined it. It had been a long time since she had heard that voice in reality. This time, however, she was sure she had heard it. It was a male voice, but it wasn't the voice of anyone who had been there: not Cloud, Sephiroth, Barret, Vincent, Cid, Red XIII or Cait Sith. This was a voice from the past, but had never faded in her memory.

"Aerith," it called again, but this time Aerith had the strength to answer.

"Zack?" she asked, slowly opening her eyes. Her surroundings were unlike anything she had ever experienced before. She was floating in a sea of white, light and airy but not too light. It was wrapped around her, warm and comforting, like something between water and energy. There was white as far as she could see. She couldn't see Zack anywhere. Aerith slowly stood up on the white expanse and looked around in case she had missed him. "Zack?" she asked again, beginning to think she may be dreaming.

"I told you I'd see you again." Aerith turned quickly, as though afraid that this remnant of Zack may fade into the white around her. Zack was stood directly behind her, smiling. Aerith almost couldn't believe it. It had been ages since she had last seen Zack. It felt far too long, however, Aerith knew that from the fact she could see him now, as clear as she had done when he was with her mean that Sephiroth must have killed her. Zack gave her a boyish smile. "Hey," he said, by way of a greeting.

"Hey," replied Aerith with a smile.

"Are you OK?" Aerith took a few steps towards Zack and slowly reached out to touch him. Her pale fingers brushed against his chest. Yes. He felt real. Zack reached up and her hand in his. Aerith smiled in relief and rested her head on his chest.

"Yeah," she said. Then she remembered. "Cloud?" she asked urgently. "And the others? Are they…?"

"They're fine," said Zack. "It's you that I worry about." Aerith didn't even need to ask why, but there were still tings she needed to have answered. Maybe Zack could help.

"Where are we?" she asked. "What happened at the Capital? Everything seems so quick but somehow hazy."

"You're in between," said Zack. "I saw Sephiroth come for you, so I came back here and waited for you. I wanted to be sure you were all right."

"You came for me?" smiled Aerith, putting her arms around him and closing her eyses, resting her head once again on his chest. This felt more like home than anything now. She had found that piece of her heart that she had lost, and now she felt peaceful. Zach put his arms around her too.

"Yeah," he said. "I wasn't gonna leave you here alone." Aerith smiled.

"Thank you, Zack," she said.

"Sure, Aerith." Aerith lifted her head slightly so that she could look up at Zack's face properly.

"Will Cloud be all right?" she asked. Zack laughed.

"If I know anything about that guy, he'll do fine. He's a strong guy."

"I tried to summon Holy," said Aerith. "I was trying to help. But I can't now."

"You can still help," Zack replied. "You're an amazing woman, Aerith. I don't doubt you at all." Aerith smiled and looked into his eyes.

"You're sweet," she said.

"No, I mean it," grinned Zack. Aerith turned to look into the endless white again.

"You're right," she said. "I know they'll be fine. I believe in them all. I know that they can sort this all out, but I'm still worried, Zack."

"Yeah, that makes two of us," said Zack. "I've been watching you all (especially you, Aerith), trying to make sure that nothing bad happened to you. But when you needed me most, I couldn't save you. I'm sorry, Aerith."

"Don't be." Aerith ran her hand along his cheek. "I just feel so much happier now. I'm standing closer to the sky. It was kind of scary at first, but the flowers like it. It's nice here." Zach smiled with a slight recognition of her metaphor.

"Yeah," he grinned. "Aerith?"

"Mmm?"

"I'm sorry I couldn't have been with you."

"I never blamed you," she smiled. "Not once." She pulled herself closer to him again and closed her eyes in comfort. "You came back for me. You never stopped caring. That's all that matters." Zack reached up and stroked her hair. He looked away into the distance.

"Maybe we should get going now, Aerith," he suggested and Aerith nodded.

"Just one thing first," said Aerith, opening her eyes and stepping out of the embrace. "Can't we see them." Zack nodded slowly. Aerith bowed her head. "It's just that I need to see if they're all right. It'll only be a few minutes." Zack nodded.

"I know," he said, and began to lead her away. "Follow me."

It was strange looking back on the plain of existence she had just left, especially when she and Zack were invisible to the others. Aerith could see her own body, eyes closed, looking as though she were merely asleep, both of her hands placed over the wound in her stomach. It was a gloomy company as well. Everyone had left the city itself and were now gathered around a lake, Aerith's body in its restful state, led on the edge. Tifa was sat beside Aerith's body, staring at her face, tears of anger and grief shining in her eyes. Vincent was leaning against a tree in silent mourning. Cid was, like Tifa, sat in silence, looking uncharacteristically shaken. Red XIII and Cait Sith were both sat quite a way from the others, not saying anything, watching a heartbroken Yuffie sob into Barret's arm. Then Aerith noted something strange. Where was Cloud?

He wasn't far away. Cloud came back through the trees, not looking at anybody. His eyes were bloodshot and red. He had been crying. Aerith began to wish she hadn't come back. Cloud was a broken man. Zack squeezed her hand to let her know everything was all right. Tifa looked up from Aerith's body and saw Cloud.

"Cloud..." She stood up but he ignored her. Everyone looked back up at him sombrely, Yuffie's eyes red and puffy from crying. Nobody said anything. They all just watched Cloud as he walked over to Aerith's body and picked her up. Aerith realised now how small she was. She looked like a little doll, fast asleep in his arms. Cloud stepped into the waters of the lake and brought Aerith's breathless body with him. He lay her out in the deeper water, restful, peaceful, floating on the surface; and then the water embraced her and she slipped away from their sight. Yuffie sniffed and suppressed another sob as the others stood firm and silent, now everyone watching Cloud. Tifa walked to the edge of the lake as Cloud gradually began to walk back to the shore. When he reached her they both looked into each other's eyes and simultaneously threw their arms around the other, both shaking in shock and grief.

"Come on." Aerith looked back at Zack, who and indicated they should go. Aerith nodded. She had agreed, and followed him. She turned and took one last look at her friends on the bank of the lake, before she took Zack's hand and followed him into the light. They could go on, but now it was time for her to rejoin the Lifestream. She and Zack walked back into the light, and Aerith caught the unmistakable scent of flowers.


End file.
